Amateur-built VANS RV-10 N104BK accident near Las Vegas, Nevada

Probable cause

A missing elevator control assembly attachment bolt, which rendered the elevator control system ineffective and resulted in a loss of pitch control, and the pilot’s incorrect installation of the elevator control assembly.

NTSB analysis

The pilot, who was also the owner and builder of the airplane, reported that, while on short final, he lost elevator control and was unable to control the airplane's pitch. The pilot continued the landing, but he was unable to flare the airplane, which resulted in a hard landing. The airplane bounced once and then came back down on its nose.

Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the attachment bolt for the elevator control assembly was missing. The airplane manufacturer's maintenance instructions called for two washers and an elastic stop nut to secure the elevator assembly attachment bolt. It is likely that the pilot did not properly install or secure the hardware used to attach the bolt, which allowed it to release in flight and rendered the elevator control system ineffective and led to the subsequent loss of pitch control. The airplane had accumulated a total time of 48 hours.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for WPR13LA093 for the full record.